The Body’s Natural Cancer Fighter:
Superoxide Dismutase (SOD)

If you’ve been around the world of alternative cancer treatments for more than a week, you’ve probably noticed a theme. Cancer can be caused by exposure to toxins, and it can be prevented by elimination of such toxins.

Your body has its own ingenious way of getting rid of toxins, and maybe you can give it a boost! Here’s how. . .

Continued below. . .

Ten-year breast cancersurvivor was told:
"You'll be dead in a year"
(Pssst!! That was 10 years ago!)

Doctors didn't give Wiltrude much hope when they diagnosed her with cancer in the year 2000. Wiltrude, a German psychologist, never thought cancer would happen to her. But it did. And it came as a big shock.

One doctor told her, "You'll be dead in a year." Late stage breast cancer is virtually incurable using conventional treatments. Even M.D.s admit it. They talk about "buying you more time." (Don't count on it. The evidence shows you're better off doing nothing than chemo.)

When Wiltrude told her doctor she was going to try alternative treatments, he said, "You are committing suicide with what you're doing." But she was determined to find a way to beat her cancer.

Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, this European woman came across a book by my good friend Bill Henderson, one of the smartest and wisest people I know when it comes to cancer treatment.

She tried Bill's top, number one recommendation — a gentle treatment you can do at home for just $5.15 a day. What's more, the cost goes down to $3.50 after six weeks because you just need a maintenance dose. And it even tastes good.

Not only has Wiltrude passed the five-year cancer survival mark, she's survived for ten years. We just interviewed her recently for this publication. The radiologist who tests her every year told her, "You're the only one with this kind of result."

You can find out everything about Bill's cancer treatment plan in our Special Report, How to Cure Almost Any Cancer at Home for $5.15 a Day. When I ask him about some of the treatments that top alternative doctors use, Bill sort of shrugs and says, "They're fine, but why bother? My treatment works, you can do it yourself, and it costs practically nothing."

He's coached thousands of cancer patients with all different types and stages of cancer. Most of the people who follow the detailed, specific plan in this Special Report get over their cancer and live for years.

"Almost any kind of cancer is reversible," says Bill. "I never give up on anyone."

Each cell of the body has a personalized system for removing toxic matter. The key "cleansing tool" used for this process is the cell’s network of enzymes and enzyme systems. These enzymes work to break down toxic materials and flush them out of the cell.

When there are more toxins than a cell’s enzymes can handle, or when there aren’t enough enzymes in the first place, cells are at risk to become cancer cells. Researchers are looking for ways to fix this problem and maintain a steady count of enzymes.

A cell’s power tool for scanvenging

One enzyme in particular is a major power player in a cell’s detox system. Its name: Superoxide dismutase (SOD). Its mission: Scavenge for and dismantle one of the body’s most deadly free radical toxins, superoxide.

Superoxide (the enemy) is a reactive particle that bounces around a cell. It damages everything it comes in contact with. This might seem surprising, but the superoxide toxin is actually produced by cells themselves, as a byproduct of their metabolic process to produce energy.

Through a series of enzymatic reactions, cells strip away electrons in order to create energy. During the process, electrons attach to oxygen molecules and thereby create the toxic chemical, superoxide. This process of creating energy creates a handful of other toxic radicals too, like hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals.

When these toxic radicals are produced, the body’s natural supply of cell enzymes like SOD act to shield the cell and quickly eliminate the toxins before they harm the cells. You probably recognize this as the usual antioxidant-free radical reaction. Yes, SOD is an antioxidant — a powerful one your own body makes.

In addition to breaking down toxins created by cell metabolism, enzymes also tackle toxins that enter the body by way of air pollution, smoking, or other forms of ingestion.

Each enzyme serves a specific function by attacking an assigned free radical. Superoxide dismutase, for instance, functions solely to attack superoxide and break it up into hydrogen peroxide and oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide itself is a toxic radical, so another type of enzyme, catalase, is then tasked with decomposing the substance into water and oxygen.

Other superhero cell enzymes are catalase, glutathione, and epoxide hydrolase.

SOD’s Healing Power

The more scientists study SOD, the more benefits they find. The enzyme acts as both an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory. As it breaks down superoxide particles into harmless substances (a process called dismutation), it neutralizes the free radicals and keeps them from damaging cells.

If cells are damaged, they suffer from what’s called oxidative stress — which in turn leads to severe health problems. Inevitably, the problems include cancer.

The benefits of SOD are much more extensive than just cancer prevention. They include relief from arthritis, prostate problems, inflammatory diseases, burn injuries, inflammatory bowel disease, and fibrosis. Beauty suppliers rave about the enzyme and its ability to prevent wrinkles and hair loss. And for those who have cancer, SOD helps prevent damage and side effects from cancer therapy like radiation and chemotherapy.

Research for SOD and its relation to cancer dates back to 1979 when scientists at the University of Iowa noticed the lack of enzyme activity in cancerous cells, plus the proliferation of superoxides and other free radicals. They realized that tumors appeared to produce excessive amounts of superoxide free radicals, so the body’s regular production of superoxide dismutase could not effectively compete.

Here’s what other studies show:

A 2004 study tested 44 breast cancer patients who developed fibrosis as a result of radiation therapy. An SOD treatment applied to the skin was found to reduce the size of the fibrotic area and significantly decrease pain levels in more than half the patients. The only side effect was one case of a localized allergic reaction.

A skin cancer study on mice found that topical SOD cream relieved oxidative injury and proliferation of skin carcinomas without affecting the death of healthy cells. A joint study that used oral SOD treatment resulted in decreased tumor sizes by 33% to 57%.

These results are promising, and since SOD is a natural product of the body, it’s hard to see why there’s any problem using it for treatment.

The challenge is that SOD levels decrease as we get older and can’t compete with an excess of toxins. So the question is, how can we best improve the count of SODs in the body if the body isn’t making enough? And will synthetic versions be effective?

Boosting the SOD count

The superoxide dismutase enzyme is the body’s natural protector, but there are many cases where additional SODs could help the body’s detox process. If we can do that, we can help prevent cancer and recover from it if we already have it.

Eating the right foods and supplements would be my first choice for boosting SOD production numbers. From a dietary angle, it’s important to consume plenty of vitamins and minerals. In particular, vitamin C and copper are needed to help the body produce the natural antioxidant.

Eating more greens is another way to raise SOD levels. Plants like barley grass, broccoli, wheatgrass, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage are full of SODs, so eating these might help maintain steady production of superoxide dismutase.

When cells need more SODs than they can make on their own, synthetic SOD might be the way to go. Synthetic versions of the enzyme can be given by way of injection, topical cream, or oral supplement.

Sounds simple enough,
but there may be a catch. . .

Apparently, SOD can’t hold up to stomach acid, so oral supplements should only be taken if they are enteric-coated (a coating that prevents absorption until a pill reaches the small intestine). The enzyme has to get past the stomach intact to reach the small intestine and be properly absorbed into the body.

That raises the question for vegetables. If you eat vegetables rich in SOD, like the ones I mentioned above, will you get a healthy dose of SOD? I haven’t been able to find proof that they survive the stomach acid on their journey through your body.

I’m still an advocate for eating plenty of greens, but I’m not sure how well they boost SOD production.

Another important question is whether synthetic SOD is really as helpful as it could be. The research studies mentioned above about skin cancer and post-radiation breast cancer both used synthetic SOD treatments. Looking at their findings, it seems like synthetic treatments can be useful.

However, there’s an opposing view on that matter. According to Dr. Mercola, synthetic SOD supplements signal the body to stop its own production of enzymes. This leaves patients reliant on the synthetic versions. Relying on a drug is not the goal.

So if synthetic SOD is no good, and oral consumption of SOD fails, then we’re back to square one.

What we need, as usual, is much more consistent, clear research. My hope is we’ll soon have a better understanding of how SOD works in relation to any type of cancer cell, and we’ll discover a foolproof method to increase levels of SODs. With these advancements, I think we’ll be onto some very great medical discoveries.

Meanwhile, there may be some really bad news about omega 3 supplements. If you missed this important new development on Wednesday, scroll down and read it now. . .

Oh, no! Does fish oil cause cancer?

This is the most explosive health news I've heard in a while. In terms of the alternative health world, it's as big as killing Osama bin Laden.

A new study suggests one of the omega 3 fats found in fish oil might actually increase a man's risk of developing prostate cancer!

As you'd expect, there are a lot of problems with this study. It's a long way from being the final word, and in fact it may mean nothing at all.

Let's pick our way through this new minefield. . .

Continued below. . .

Toxic chemical condemned 8 men to die of prostate cancer. . .but one of them escaped. Here's how he did it!

John S. watched helplessly as 7 of his Vietnam platoon buddies died of prostate cancer, one by one. They were exposed to chemicals during the war that caused them to get cancer when they reached middle age. Then, in 2002, John found out it was his turn. He got opinions from three different doctors and they all told him the same thing: he'd need a miracle to survive.

John found the miracle he needed. Four years after his diagnosis, he told us, "I am healthy and happy with no symptoms of the disease." He actually wishes he'd gotten the disease sooner so he could have told his Army buddies this secret. It might have saved their lives.

We're ALL exposed every day to chemicals similar to the ones that killed these veterans. A man is just about certain to get prostate cancer if he lives long enough. That means John's life-saving secret is big news for men everywhere. Click here and keep reading. . .

I hesitate to even tell folks about this study. It may be wrong (very likely is). But I don't see myself as a cheerleader for what everbody "knows" is true. If something runs contrary to my cherished beliefs, I'm inclined to look into it.

According to the study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology1, men with higher levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were two-and-a-half times more likely to have an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

The results get even crazier!

Something else stunned the research team: men with the highest amounts of trans-fatty acids in their blood appeared to have a 50 percent reduction in their risk of developing prostate cancer!

Trans-fatty acids are synthetic "fake" fats found in thousands of processed food products. They've been linked to inflammation and heart disease. There's even talk of passing laws against them and removing them from the food supply altogether.

Now along comes this study that seems to show trans-fatty acids DECREASED cancer risk.

The researchers found similar results for omega-6 fats. These have been associated with inflammation — and they tend to be seen as harmful. (But omega-6 acids aren't really evil. More on this in a moment.) In this study, omega-6 fats, like trans-fatty acids, were found to be linked to a LOWER cancer risk.

If you take this study at face value, the "bad" fatty acids were good, while the "good" omega-3 fats -- thought to protect your body from inflammation — were bad.

The scientists were stunned!

Lead researcher Theodore M. Brasky, Ph.D. and colleagues at Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center based their conclusions on data gathered from 3,461 participants in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial.

The researchers wanted to determine whether high concentrations of omega-6 fats and trans-fatty acids in the bloodstream could be linked to the development of prostate cancer.

But the latest findings were the total opposite of what the researchers expected!

Commenting in a group statement2, Brasky said the surprising results seem to "shine a light on the complexity of studying the association between nutrition and the risk of various chronic diseases."

Is one of the most popular supplements a deadly danger?

As you probably know, thousands of Americans swallow fish oil capsules daily. You may well be one of them. I am. Fish oil supplements are reputed to help:

Prevent cardiovascular disease…

Boost your immune system…

Stop progression of psychotic disorders in high-risk children…

Guard against inflammation…

Reduce prostate cancer tumors…

Is all this now out the window? Not at all. . .but fat metabolism has always been more complicated than most people think — and it just got MORE complicated.

Odd sample may have led to odd result

The people who participated in this study were not a "random" sample. The study was conducted ONLY on males and only on males over the age of 55. What's more, the roughly 3,400 men in this study were just a subset of about 19,000 men taking part in a study of the drug finasteride, prescribed to prevent prostate cancer.

Of the 3,400 men in the fatty acid study, half developed prostate cancer while the study was in progress. That's a very high cancer rate.

Long story short, this was not a typical group selected from the whole population. The researchers said very few of the men in the study even took fish oil supplements. Those who got any omega-3 in their diet at all got it from eating fish — most likely salmon, I'd guess.

Right off the bat, this makes me wonder how much mercury those fish eaters were taking in. Personally, I don't eat a lot of omega-3-rich fish for that very reason. I take a liquid fish oil supplement (not the capsules) which the manufacturer claims is completely uncontaminated by mercury.

I also wonder how many of these men were taking the drug finasteride (since that's what the main study was all about). The drug could easily have played a role in the results. As could the lack of the drug, in those participants who DIDN'T take it.

Finally, a lot of people don't start taking fish oil and/or eating a lot of salmon until AFTER they're told they have prostate cancer. That's late in the game, and certainly no basis for decided whether the omega-3's prevented or caused their cancer.

Remember that half the men in this study came down with prostate cancer. Consider someone who's never bothered much with supplements and then learns he has cancer. In a panic he starts taking lots of vitamin C, vitamin E — the whole gamut of supplements, including fish oil. It's a good thing to do. But it seems to me it would be very easy for a researcher to misread the data: takes fish oil, has cancer; never touches the stuff, doesn't have cancer.

So don't go tossing your cod liver oil or other fish oil supplements just yet! These study results could be a legitimate warning—or a red herring (speaking of fish).

Brasky's team emphasized the need for further research to better understand the relationship between prostate cancer risk and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Plus, there are other omega-3s that were not linked to a possible increase in prostate cancer risk. So if you're deciding on whether to use or continue using omega 3s-here's some information you might find helpful…

Here's what omega-3s are—and AREN'T...

According to the American Cancer Society, there are three fatty acids in the omega-3 family:

Alpha-linolenic acid — found in English walnuts, in some types of beans, and in canola, soybean, flaxseed/linseed, and olive oils. Olive oil would be the preferred source; avoid canola and soybean.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) — found in seaweed and cold water, fatty fish — this is the one implicated in the recent study

Recent dietary guidelines from the American Cancer Society (ACS) recommend a balanced diet with five or more daily servings of vegetables and fruit. They also suggest you limit intake of red meats and animal fats, including dairy fats, in order to reduce cancer risk.

A good way to do this is by eating more fish, poultry or beans instead of beef, pork or lamb. The ACS says that while studies suggest eating more servings of fish for their omega-3 fats can help lower heart disease risk—the clinical evidence regarding cancer is uncertain.

Here's one reason they may take this position…

In 2006, researchers examined 38 studies on the effects of omega-3 fatty acids conducted over the past 40 years3. They considered studies that showed positive effects, negative effects, and even NO effects of omega-3 fatty acids on the development of cancer.

They concluded that these studies don't provide enough evidence to suggest a significant link between omega-3 fatty acids and the cancer rate. They further determined that using omega-3 fatty acid supplements is unlikely to prevent cancer.

Although research may not prove conclusively that omega-3s are a silver bullet for cancer—preliminary study results suggest another benefit of fish oil supplements may be their ability to increase survival and the efficacy of chemotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer4.

And a clinical study published in the journal Cancer concluded that omega-3 fatty acids seemed to prolong the survival of cancer patients who were also severely malnourished5.

Don't forget heart health

The main reason for taking fish oil supplements is actually heart health — where the evidence is very strong — rather than cancer, where the evidence is mixed at best.

Studies have shown that the fatty acids in fish oil reduce risk factors for heart disease—such as high blood levels of triglycerides—and may even improve heart rhythm problems that can cause sudden death.

In my view, the evidence that omega-3 oils reduce inflammation is convincing. A great many people take the supplements to reduce arthritis pain — and they report good results. I wouldn't call it a magic bullet for pain, but it helps. And if a person happens to be severely low on omega-3 fatty acids, he or she may enjoy an incredible reduction in pain after starting the supplements.

If you decide to boost your dietary intake of omega-3fats, you can easily find fish or plant oil supplements in capsule and liquid form in vitamin shops and through online retailers.

And if you choose to eat more fish to increase your intake of omega-3 fats, experts recommend varying the types of fish you consume. This can help minimize excessive exposure to any one type of toxin that may be in certain fish. As I said earlier, I don't go this route because of the mercury contamination issue.

There's more to this issue than you think

Fat metabolism is a super-complicated area. Scientists are just starting to sort it out. If you know something about the subject, this new prostate study isn't as shocking as it seems at first glance. For example, omega-6 fatty acids aren't bad for you. The issue is the BALANCE between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.

In the typical American diet we eat almost NO omega-3's and tons of omega-6's. We need to redress the balance. It's not as if omega-6 fatty acids are some kind of toxin. (Trans-fatty acids are something else: avoid at all costs!)

And it gets even more complicated: We need another fatty acid, called GLA, that I haven't even mentioned till now. This one isn't found in fish oil or in virtually any other food we eat. But it's extremely valuable in reducing inflammation.

In fact, if you take fish oil without also taking another supplement that contains GLA, you may get very little relief from the fish oil. I get my GLA by taking an evening primrose oil supplement. GLA also occurs in borage oil.

According to the best information I have on this subject, you need at least 600 milligrams of GLA a day to have a significant effect on inflammation. That's not 600 milligrams of the oil, it's 600 milligrams of GLA. So you need to read the label to see how much GLA is actually in each capsule.

Everyone wants simple answers, and I'd love to give them to you, but dietary fats and oils and their role in good health is NOT a simple subject. That's just the way it is.

Kindest regards,
Lee Euler,
Publisher

References

Larry W. Oberley2 and Garry R. Bueftner3, Role of Superoxide Dismutase in Cancer: A Review1. April 1979.

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